AMESBURY — There's a chance that a Q-tip and a swab of your cheek could help save Don Rogacki's life.
That's about all it takes to be put on the stem-cell donor registry.
Rogacki, 54, of South Hampton, is battling a type of leukemia known as multiple myeloma. He's hoping a match can be found for him during a drive on Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Amesbury Town Hall on Friend Street.
The process to join the registry takes only minutes and involves rubbing a cotton swab against both sides of the mouth and writing down some contact information.
"It's something I never thought of before," said the married father of two sons and three stepchildren. "I always gave blood in the past. I didn't know that this was something I could do to help a fellow person. I would say it's a great gift to be able to give a fellow human being."
Swabbing your cheek doesn't automatically mean you'll be donating your stem cells. It just gives the National Marrow Donor Program a basic profile. Those who are identified as a possible match for Rogacki or somebody else will be called for additional testing.
Rogacki, who said he appreciates all the support he's been getting, can't attend Friday's drive because he is undergoing chemotherapy, which makes him vulnerable to germs and infections.
Instead, his friends and family will be there. Complimentary refreshments and food will be served to donors.
Don Meskie, who has been friends with Rogacki since the two lived together on Plum Island from 1979 to 1984, helped organize the event in hopes of finding a match for his former roommate, while also increasing the potential donor pool.
"I can help him out a lot, but helping is one thing; this gives us a chance to actually help with his health," Meskie said.
The National Marrow Donor Program is facilitating the drive. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 60 can be on its registry.
Rogacki isn't the only person looking to receive a bone marrow donation.
About 10,000 people each year are diagnosed with diseases like leukemia and lymphoma that require a bone marrow transplant. About 70 percent of those patients need a transplant because there's no matching donor in their family, according to the National Marrow Donor Program.
Rogacki, who owns a construction business, was diagnosed with cancer on Dec. 27, 2010, but the symptoms started showing up the previous summer. While he loved to work outside in summer, that suddenly became harder for him. He was also tired a lot.
By November 2010, he caught a cold that he couldn't shake, and it lasted the entire month.
Two days after his diagnosis with Stage 3 multiple myeloma, he started receiving chemotherapy.
"I responded well and did that for three to four months, and then, I started getting tumors all over the place," Rogacki said.
Last spring, he went through what is known as a DCEP, an intensive form of chemotherapy that was given to him for more than 30 hours.
With the high amounts of chemo zapping away the diseases in his body, doctors then took some of his own stem cells to harvest. He was then hit with more chemo, which was followed up with him receiving his own stem cells.
Three months later, the tumors returned, and he's back to receiving chemotherapy.
"The next step to do is a donor stem cell," Rogacki said.
Rogacki not only wants people to be added to the donor registry, he also wants them to ask their doctor for a blood test that checks the protein levels in their bodies.
While Rogacki would get physicals every year, his annual blood tests would only check his cholesterol and glucose levels.
The blood test that checks for protein levels wasn't covered by his insurance. It costs him $200.
"It's worth doing," Rogacki said. "You catch it sooner, and you have a better chance."
IF YOU GO
What: Be The Match registry drive
When: Friday, 3 to 7 p.m.
Where: Amesbury Town Hall, 62 Friend St., Amesbury
Cost: Free
